WATCH: Former India captain lauds Indian Cricket Board for taking strict action on Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan

Since Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have been axed by the Indian Cricket Board from the Central Contract list for showing non-availability for domestic matches, it has become a topic of hot discussion in Indian cricket. While majority of the fans and analysts are welcoming this step of the Indian Cricket Board and calling it the need of the hour.

On the other hand, some are of the view that the Indian Board has shown their assertion on youngsters who are soft targets while some senior players also haven’t played domestic matches for quite some time. This step by the  Indian Cricket Board has started a new debate in Indian cricket about whether players should be given the freedom to choose the formats they want to play and not forced to play red ball by giving contracts to players based on their availability for certain formats.

Kapil Dev praises the Indian Cricket Board for taking a strong stance

Former Indian World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has also joined the bandwagon and has lauded the Indian Cricket Board for taking a hard stance on the whole situation. Kapil Dev talked to PTI in a video, where he emphasized that players should prioritize even after establishing themselves in international cricket as it will be beneficial for the health of the country’s cricket.

In the video, Kapil Dev said, “I am so happy that the cricket board has taken a step forward for first-class cricket. The boys must play that, it's good for the country. Whatever is good for the country, I feel happy about that.  Yes, few players will suffer...kuch ko takleef hogi...hone do, lekin desh se badhkar koi nahi hai. Well done."

He further said that he was sad to state the affairs of domestic cricket in India and the main Indian players ignoring it. Kapil Dev further said, “I congratulate the Indian Cricket Board for taking the much-needed step to protect the status of domestic cricket. I was sad to see domestic cricket being given the skip by players once they had established themselves in international cricket.